The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-24
STATE sUNDArsCHooL UNION.
Closing Sessions of the Annual Meeting-List
of Officers Chosen for Next Year.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
COLUMBUS June 23.-At the night session of
the Sunday school convention. yesterday. Rev.
J. E. Gilbert, D. D., of Indianapolis. delivered
most interesting and instructive lecture on
''Our Young Men," He spoke OF them in their
relations as political, moral, religious and edu
cational factors OF the State. From the census
and other statistics he computed the number of
young men in the State between fifteen and
twenty-five years of age at go, 900.
Seventy per cent OF this number
attended the Sunday-school between
five and ten years of age. Where they now9
church; not to exceed 80, 900 and not over 40 900
attend church. The record of all the colleges
and high-schools shows that not to exceed 300
are trying to obtain more than a common school
education, while 10000 are entirely illiterate.
The church, through the Sunday-school, once
had control of It's, 600 of the 100000 the m ost
impresslble age yet all but % 600 have escaped.
This is terrible failure, and what is the
reason? In the opinion of the speaker it
is largely due to the failure to keep
o proper ideal before the minds of the boys.
Our teaching is merely sentimental or intellect
ual. The boy needs to have it kept constantly
before his mind that he is to live for a noble pur
pose, that must be a benefit to the world, that
there is a grave and noble future before him if
he will strive for it, and then the work of the
Sunday school will not be lost upon him in after
years
The convention met at o'clock this morning,
and, after devotional exercises. considerable
time was taken up in reading the reports of
district work. A few districts showed falling
off, but the average showing much better
than that of last year.
President Kiracofe, of Huntsville College, then
read a paper on Lesson Helps and How to Use
Them" which elected lively discussion. The
general expression that it ia well to the
leaves in preparing the lesson, but only the
Bible should be used in recitation.
In the afternoon Mrs. Maley W. Crist, of
Lawrenceburg read paper, influences from
the Primary Department." which contained
many excellent thoughts, and was highly COM
plimented.
The committee on resolutions submitted re-
port thanking the citizens for courtesies extend
ed and all who have aided in making the con-
venton a success
The committee on nominations reported the
following list of officers for the ensuing year,
which the convention adopted unanimously:
President. Josiah Morris, Leatherwood; vice.
secretary; Chas. Fl. Conner, New Albany: treas
urer, Chas. ID. Megs. jr., Indianapolis; statisti-
clan, Jasper Finney. Also a president for each
of the twenty-four districts into which the State
Is divided
Rushville was selected as the place of meeting
next year, and the last week in June the
time.
The real work of the convention closed by a
blackboard lecture, 1.-THE Old Testament Be-
the New" by the president This
considered by many the most interesting and
instructive exercise of the session, and showed
that the veteran president well deserves the
popularity and reputation he enjoys among
Sunday school workers.
The session not largely attended
some in the past, but it was the general express
sion that none had been more interesting or BEN
efcial.